4 am- Inara's P. O. V.

Dad's powers only lasted for so long before the dreams returned…

Darkness, The cold, The temptation to just give up, to stop running but I can't. I have to protect them, I have to, it's the vow I made when they took me in all those years ago. It's freezing, the snow is coming down hard, almost like a blizzard outside. I don't have my weapons, my powers aren't working, I feel useless but I can't give up.

As I ran down the corridors of my home, I noticed there were no people at all.

"HELLO, IS ANYONE HERE!" The only response I got came from behind me.

"They're all gone Inara. It's just us, soon to be just me" I spun around and saw a figure hiding in the darkness ahead of me. I then saw yellow eyes. When the figure started to move I turned and ran again. I got in the elevator and pressed the button for the lower levels

However, when the elevator opened I was outside.

Not wanting to waste any more time, I ran from the elevator. I ran through the snow as best I could but came to a slippery halt when I was cut off by a ring of fire surrounding me. When I stopped my right arm got caught in the fire and badly burnt. I pulled my arm to my chest and then held up my left hand and tried to concentrate. My power surged around my hand but then just stopped.

"No, come on, not now, come on!" I then heard an evil laugh from behind me.

I spun around and the fire dissipated. The voice then said

"You're useless. You don't even know how much power you have at your disposal. Just let go of that pesky humanity"

"Go to Hell" the figure then came into the light of day. I was shocked, I was looking at myself.

"What's the matter Inara, scared to have a little fun"

"I can't just let go" I then heard another voice

"Nari Wake up". The evil me then said

"You can't stay strong forever, I'll be back" everything around me then started to fade.

"Nari!" I gasped and shot you from my bed. I had my hand raised and saw Peter hovering not that far from me. He looked at me sheepishly, Smiled, and waved. I gently put him down whilst saying

"Dammit Peter, what have I told you about waking me up" I then ran my hands through my hair as he sat down beside me and said

"I know but you started whimpering and I...Inara you're bleeding!"

I immediately looked down at my arm and saw blood seeping through the sleeve. I then lifted my sleeve up and that's when it hit me, the searing pain coursing through my arm. On my right arm was a large burn that had blistered and was bleeding slightly. Despite all the pain, I said

"Go get Hank!" he hesitated

"Peter GO!"

10 minutes later Hank had me down in the infirmary. He had sent Peter back to bed, but I know Peter he'll be up in his room worrying or he would have woken up Scott. Good thing that Dad is currently on his way to DC with Alex otherwise he'd be in full overprotective mode.

I'm currently sat on one of the gurneys as Hank is picking off the dead skin and trying to distract me from the pain

"Peter told me about what happened when he woke you up" he then picked up a cloth and put some saline on it as I said

"He startled me, it was a reflex" I then hissed slightly as he cleaned the burn

"Inara, It wasn't just a reflex. Something else is wrong" now finished cleaning the burn, he picked up a bandage. I then said

"I had a weird Dream"

"What was it about? If you don't mind me asking" He then began wrapping my arm

"It's hard to explain. But I was running through the house. There was no one around, just me. I was running from something in the dark. Next thing I knew I was outside in the snow surrounded by fire. I hurt my arm and my powers wouldn't work. That's when I saw her"

"Who, Inara? Who did you see"

"It was me but not me. She was evil and dark"

"What did she want?"

"The same thing they always want. She wanted me to turn off my humanity and let go… Hank these dreams are getting more frequent and it's scaring me".

I looked down at my hands and moments later I felt his hand on my left shoulder. He then spoke

"Your abilities are still very much a mystery to all of us. We know very little about how you came to be where you were all those years ago. These dreams may just be your subconscious playing tricks on you. You have more power than you realize and I know that scars you"

"It does more than scare me. It terrifies me. I have to keep 100% focus all the time. My emotions have to stay in check. If I don't then… I Don't know what will happen" he was silent for a second before saying

"Has this ever happened before?"

"A few bumps, bruises, couple scratches but nothing like this"

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I don't know, I guess I just was scared about how you'd react" He smiled and said

"After everything you've done, after everything you've been through, you're scared of your overprotective family" I returned the smiled before saying

"Hank, what's going on with me?"

"I don't know but we're going to figure it out, I promise and I've never broken a promise. Now, what are the chances of you going back to sleep for a couple of hours" I raised my eyebrow and said

"There's only one way I'm going to be able to go to sleep"

"Inara…"

"Dads not home, come on Hank please" he hesitated for a moment before turning to the med supplies and saying

"This conversation never happened" I smiled and said

"What conversation?" I saw him smirk before saying

"Go on then" I jumped off the gurney and headed upstairs.

Instead of going to the 4th floor like I normally do, I got off the elevator on the 2nd floor and went to the room at the end of the hall. I knocked on the door quietly and mumbled

"Scott, you awake?" Moments later the door opened slightly. I pushed the door open and saw Scott walking back to the bed. As I closed the door behind me, he said

"Peter told me what happened. You okay?" He then let out a brief yawn before laying down. I got into the bed next to him and as I placed my head down on his chest, I said

"I am now" He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to his side. He pressed a kiss against the side of my head and mumbled

"Get some sleep, babe" I closed my eyes and just listened to his steady heartbeat, whilst taking in the residual scent of his shower gel.

6 hours later~

Luckily I managed to get some sleep after going to Scott's room. However, I'm still drained and I'm currently lying on a couch with my head on Scott's lap. Jean is currently reading some of our Mid-term revision work to us but it's going in one ear and out the other.

"When you leave wine exposed to the air, the ethanol in it reacts with oxygen to form what?

A. Ethanoic acid

B. Ethyl acetate" Scott replied

"Urg…" Jean then said

"Come on guys, we only did this a few weeks ago" I didn't open my eyes as I said

"Doesn't mean we were paying attention, Jeany… Hey Jubes, whos the new kid" I then heard Jubilee say

"You mean you haven't heard. Raven is back, she's downstairs with Hank" I just groaned and sat up saying

"I really don't have the energy to deal with her right now" A new voice then said

"Raven saved my life. She's a friend is she not" He had a thick, strong German accent.

I opened my eyes and was fascinated by the boy standing in front of us. He had fine blue-black fur covering his body, two fingers with an opposable thumb on each hand and only two toes, each longer than a normal human being's, on each foot and a third toe-like projection on his heel, as well as pronounced, fang-like canine teeth, yellow eyes, pointed ears, and a 3

1⁄2-foot-long prehensile pointed tail. He then said

"I'm Kurt Wagner. It's my first time in America. I am very excited to see your culture" I then said

"I'm Inara, this is Scott, Jean and of course you've already met Jubilee. Welcome to Xavior institute" Jubes then

"And as for American culture, you are not going to see it here. The only thing American about this place is that it used to be British" Scott then said

"Who's up for a prison break. What do you say we take this blue guy on a little field trip? There's a mall not far from here" I pinched the bridge of my nose as Kurt said

"What's a mall?"Scott then got to his feet and said

"What's a mall? Alright. Now it's a matter of national pride. -Civic duty" I then said

"Scott.."

"What? You've been cooped up here for a long time. And the Professor is not even home" Kurt then said

"I-I like to go to the mall" Scott then turned and crouched down in front of me. He took my hand and said

"Come on, you need a break from this more than anyway. For me, please?" He gave me his signature smile. I returned the smile and said

"I hate it when you do that"

"No you don't, now where does he keep his cars?